Art Market Monitor

Global Coverage ~ Unique Analysis

  • Contact Us
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter
  • AMM Fantasy Collecting Game
  • AMMpro

WSJ on Sotheby’s Choice for New CEO

March 16, 2015 by Marion Maneker

WSJ on Tad Smith

According to Kelly Crow, Tad Smith was chosen as the new CEO because he can “toggle.” The Wall Street Journal’s presenter, Geoffrey Rogow, points out that MSG has been criticized for its management culture. Rogow also points out that CEOs are chosen for their connections. He asks Crow how important those were in Smith’s getting the job. Crow responds that they were “crucial” without saying what connections Smith might have that would be valuable to Sotheby’s.

In her story for WSJ, Crow has a little bit of trouble coming up with relevant experience from Smith’s resume despite de Sole’s introduction on a pre-market conference call that claimed Smith had led an international sales force:

At MSG, Mr. Smith isn’t in charge of negotiating team salaries or show lineups at these venues, but he manages the company’s financials and oversaw development of Radio City’s new Rockettes show, “Spring Spectacular,” now in previews.

Before that, Mr. Smith was president of local media sales for Cablevision Systems Corp. under executive chairman James Dolan, whose family spun off the publicly held MSG from Cablevision five years ago. Madison Square Garden said it would begin an immediate search for a successor, with Mr. Dolan overseeing the company’s activities in the interim.

Mr. Smith’s departure from MSG comes at a time when the sports and media company is exploring breakup scenarios—including separating its entertainment businesses from its media and sports operations—but Mr. Smith declined to discuss future moves. Instead, he pointed to an earlier calling card: While at Cablevision, he said he led a team that created a system that allowed the cable company to tailor the ads it broadcast to its 2.5 million households, with dog owners getting more dog-food ads and new homeowners getting additional home-improvement store ads.

Madison Square Garden CEO Resigns to Lead Sotheby’s  (WSJ)

More from Art Market Monitor

  • Porter Offers Some Color On His MovePorter Offers Some Color On His Move
  • Sotheby’s Increases Auction Commission Margin in Q1Sotheby’s Increases Auction Commission Margin in Q1
  • Following Mood of Market, Sotheby’s Brings Marina Picasso’s Ceramics & Works on Paper to LondonFollowing Mood of Market, Sotheby’s Brings Marina Picasso’s Ceramics & Works on Paper to London
  • Sotheby’s Pops the $50m Question in May—Who Wants Lichtenstein’s ‘Ring’?Sotheby’s Pops the $50m Question in May—Who Wants Lichtenstein’s ‘Ring’?
  • Modigliani for $52.5m in ParisModigliani for $52.5m in Paris
  • Cheyenne Westphal to Join Phillips in Spring ’17Cheyenne Westphal to Join Phillips in Spring ’17
  • Print
  • Tweet

Filed Under: General

Advertise on Art Market Monitor with Nectar Ads

Top Posts

  • The New York Times Still Doesn't Get Art & Money Laundering
  • David Hockney's $20m Pacific Coast Highway & Santa Monica
  • Podcast
  • Why I Am Leaving Gagosian
  • Tony Podesta's Secret Art Buying
  • Newsletter
  • Man Ray's Noire et Blanche (€1-1.5m) Offered at Christie's France in November
  • About Us/ Contact
  • Bonhams Brings Second Generation of Modern Vietnamese Art in Hong Kong
  • Sotheby's Brings $30m Pollock to New York


  • About Us/ Contact
  • Podcast
  • AMMpro
  • Newsletter
  • Art Loans
  • FAQ

twitterfacebooksoundcloud
Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Advertise on Art Market Monitor